Saskatchewan shelters responding to increased urgency to house homeless
Extreme cold across the province poses high risk for those without permanent shelter
With temperatures in the –30s and wind chills down to –50, the need to offer shelter to those who are homeless in Saskatchewan is even more urgent than usual.
Maj. Wayne McDonough, the executive director of the Salvation Army Waterson Centre, said the Regina men's shelter has 96 beds, but on days of increased usage they won't turn anyone away who needs their services.
"We don't send them out in the cold," McDonough said.
He said the length of time people are staying in the shelter's commons areas and overflow has increased, but that's the only increase he could measure.
Urgency increases even if numbers do not
There are around 230 homeless people in Regina, according to a homeless count in 2015.
Tyler Gray, public relations officer at Carmichael Outreach, says the number of people using the community-based charity's services is consistent as always.
"The numbers don't necessarily increase, it's more the urgency that increases," said Gray.
In addition to trying to find homes and long-term shelter on frigid days for people, Carmichael Outreach aims help those who don't have the winter gear that they need.
"If you look around right now you see people outside in a sweater on a day where it's –49. So we're trying to make sure everybody has the stuff that they need," said Gray.
In addressing the needs of their clients, Carmichael Outreach works closely with the Regina non-profit Mobile Crisis Services.
The Mobile Crisis Services team lists which shelters have available beds and helps to find people who are sleeping outside and at risk. This means they, and other organizations, can coordinate shelter quickly for people in need.
Damara Seudath, a team leader with Mobile Crisis Services, says there has definitely been an increase in demand for their services.
"Typically in the summers, people are able to deal with living sometimes in not-desirable locations," said Seudath. "When it's like this it's not fair to expect someone to live in campers or outside."
Nine shelters and one detox centre are included on the the Mobile Crisis Services website's emergency shelter list. It includes contact information as well as vacancy status. On Wednesday evening, it showed at least three of those shelters were full.
"There's always a need," said Seudath. "We'll always find a space for them."
Despite the available shelters and response from organizations that work with homeless people, Gray says the current efforts aren't enough.
"We can talk till we're blue in the face about coats and mitts and tuques that people need. But at the end of the day it's treating a symptom rather than the root of the issue," he said.
"The root of the issue is that we need to make sure people in our community have permanent housing."
People who don't know where to go can call Call Mobile Crisis Services at 1-306-757-0127 or go to them at 1646 11th Ave. The services are always available.
Regina's cold weather strategy, developed by service providers including shelters, emergency service agencies, and housing providers, is in place from Nov. 1 to March 31 each year. According to Mobile Crisis Services' website, it aims "to ensure services work together so everyone sleeps in a safe place on cold nights in Regina."